Vertical-filing drawer.



Rm 0 9 1 9 l T P. E S D E T N E M R P E hm R MD G mm m G .L A w T R E V APPLICATION FILED APR. 21, 1904.

INVENTO WITNESSES 5 Q 9% UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 19, 1905.

A li ti fil d April 21, 1904. Serial No. 204,256.

T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK L. G. STRAU- BEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Greenbay, in the county of Brown and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and useful Vertical-Filing Drawer, of which the' vide a spring-follower which can be adjusted from the rear according to the volume of the contents filed, and a hinged front with suitable connecting mechanism to cause a reciprocating action upon the adjustable spring-follower, thereby enabling more convenient manipulation of the contents filed. Iattain this object by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a vertical section of the drawer, exposing the left-hand inner side with parallel bar and a section of the spring-follower. Fig. 2 is atop view of a section of the drawer and adjustable spring-follower, showing its connections with the parallel bar. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the drawer.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The hinged front A, sides B B, back C, and bottom D constitute the framework of the drawer. The base E, slides T T, clutch Gr, wing I, spring and hinge H, and lever J, the latter twoalso being used on the opposite side of the drawer, constitute the parts of the ad justable spring-follower. With a similar arrangement on both sides of the drawer the connecting-rod R, oscillating lever P, oscillating bars N N, and parallel bars M constitute the mechanism between the hinged front and the adjustable spring-follower by which the latter is caused to be thrown back when the front is drawn forward, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 1.

As shown in Fig. 1, the drawer-front A is hinged at its lower part, as at O, and the connecting-rods R pivotally secured thereto on opposite sides, as at S, and the other ends of said rods pivotally secured to the upper extensions of the oscillating levers P, the latter being centrally and pivotally secured to the sides of the drawer, as are also the oscillating barsN-N at their upper ends. The lower extensions of the oscillating levers P and the oscillating bars N N are pivotally secured to the j by the dotted lines in Fig. 1.

parallel bars M in line with and the same distance apart as the pivots of same that secure them to the sides of the drawer, the completed arrangement properly adjusted on each side of the drawer causing a downward parallel movement of the parallel bars M when the hinged front A is drawn outward, as shown As shown by the drawings, the open space left in the drawerbottom in the center has the rod F running through it secured to the drawer front and back. By means of the slides T T the follower-base E is secured to the bottom of the drawer so that it will slide backward and forward, the slidesTTkeeping said base squarely across the bottom and also preventingit from tipping backward when the pressure it is supposed to withstand from above is applied.

The clutch G can be one of various forms of construction and should be made to grip or clutch the rod F, whereby the base E is prevented from being forced back except when released by said clutch, and it should also serve as a means for said base, with wing I, being set and held at any point upon said rod from the rear against the contents filed in the drawer.

The upper part or wing I of the follower is secured to the base E by suitable springhinges H or hinges and spring with the tension of same adjusted to throw the wing I forward. At or near the hinges of the wing I the levers J are secured, which have at their projecting end s the roller-bearings K, projecting under the parallel bars M.

As shown by the full lines in Fig. 1, with the hinged front A placed in an upright posttion, the parallel bars M and connections properly adjusted, and the projecting levers J at proper angles from the wing I, the latter will also assume an upright position, and the extra pressure of the springs communicated to the parallel bars M from below by the levers J and roller-bearings K will cause an inward drawing strain upon the hinged front A sufficiently to hold it up firmly and to withstand the pressure of the contents against it from within. As shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 1, the drawing outward of the hinged front A will change the oscillating levers P and oscillating bars N N to take a vertical position, thereby removing the inward drawing strain referred to from the hinged front, the parallel bars M will be forced down to the lowest point, bearing with them the roller-bearings K of the projecting levers J, thereby IIO changing the position of the wing Ito lean backward to allow the contents filed between the hinged front and adjustable follower to separate in V shape for convenient manipulation. Returning the hinged front to an upright position will allow the wing I of the adwith slldes engaged within the open space of justable follower to assume its original position, thereby closing the gap in the contents filed. With the proper adjustment of the follower by the clutch Gr against the contents from the rear the latter will be held vertically under suflicient pressure between the front and follower tending to flattening the usual creases and folds in mail or other filing matter. The action of the parallel barsM upon the roller-bearings K of the projecting levers J being the same from front to rear will permit of anydesirable adjustment of the follower without change in the reciprocating action of the wing I with the hinged I front A.

to said drawer-front by connecting rods and levers and to the inner sides of the drawer by oscillating bars, said combination operating the projecting arms attached to a spring-follower substantially as set forth and described.

2. In a vertical-filing drawer a follower-base the drawer-bottom and projecting forward to prevent said base from tipping backward, a suitable clutch by which said base may be placed to hold at any point within the open space of the drawer-bottom, mounted on or connected to said base by suitable springhinges, with a tension to force it forward, the wing I with projecting arms or levers having roller-bearings and operated by the parallel bars for the purpose shown and described.

3. In a vertical-filing drawer the combination of a'hinged drawer-front in connection with parallel bars which by oscillating bars and levers are pivotally secured to the inner sides of the drawer, and an adjustable sliding follower-base having a spring-hinged wing with projecting arms or levers engaging said parallel bars substantially as and for the purpose shown and described.

FREDERICK L. G. STRAUBEL. Witnesses:

JOHN B. LEFEBVRE, E. B. WOOLFORD. 

